Disclaimer



March 22 1932. J, w c Re; 18,390

ARTIFICIAL Mnmow Original Filed Jan. 26, 1929 flush 077 I Reissued Mar. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JACK "r. WELGH, or SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ass rcmoa TO JAMES Harmon's sons, 01? DOWAGIAC, MICHIGAN, A conroim'rron or MICHIGAN ARTIFICIAL MIN'NOW (Original No. 1,772,058, dated August 5, 1930, Serial No. 335,257, filed January 26, 1929. Application reissue filed January 13, 1932. Serial No. 586,658.

This invention which relates to an artificial minnow is concerned with certain improvements by Which a more attractive and serviceable surface finish is produced at a consider able saving in labor and expense. While both of these advantages are realized in'the present invention, either by itself marks an advance in the ancient art of fish lures.

'-, accessories as eyes 1 and 2 at its front and rear ends respectively, the former for a line or leader, and the latter to support a gang book 3 in the usual manner. A second gang hook 4 may also depend from an eye bar 5 which is secured to the bottom of the bait body, as shown. The eyes may be attached in place by screw threaded means of the usual kind.

The present bait difiers from others in that it is formed of some material which is either partially or wholly transparent. Celluloid or pyralin are examples of two different products from which this .bait may advantageously be made. A bait body formed of some such material excels in numerous respects. In the first place, the transparency and color (both of which are variable) may be selected with reference to the particular kind of minnow which is to besimulated in the finished bait. Whatever 'be the degree of transparency or shade of color chosen, light will permeate through the bait body and not be confined to the surface thereof.- Accordingly the inherent transparency and color are not subject to marring or wearing off as in the case of a surface decorated I bait.

Not onl will a bait so produced present the nature. color of-a, minnow, but, as a second advantage, such/ additional decoration as for may be required to complete the simulation is much less than ordinary, and is applicable with much less expense and effort. This comes about because of the necessity for a lesser amount of decoration due to the already natural finish resulting from the use of a transparent material for the bait body, and because the surface of a transparent bait body is such as to receive without further preparation the slight decorations that may be desired. By way of contrast with the procedure required in preparing for decoration the usual bait body when formed of wood, I eliminate altogether in the present invention the several dipping operations consisting of two coats of lacquer, three coats of enamel, and finally another coat of lacquer, all of which steps are preliminary to applicatioIT of the scale finish and air brush work.

It will be noted that the bait illustrated in the accompanying drawing carries certain conventional markingsa heightened color zone 6 around the eyes 7 and below the mouth,

a dorsal darkening 8, and scales 9 extending down upon the sides toward; the belly. All such markings may be applied directly to the present bait body without preliminary.

treatment thereof. Furthermore, I would have it noted that a considerable portion of the bait body, mostly in the lower region, requires no decoration of any kind dueto the inherent natural finish and appearance of the transparent material used. Such few decorative features as are suggested herein are ample for all purposes.

The surface decorationsmay vary'all the way from opacity .to transparency. This feature, taken in conjunction with the wide range in colors and transparencies available for the bait body, renders possible illimitable optical effects. For example, the scales 9 I may be definedin outline only, but when viewed in the direction of the light they are colored or otherwise varied according to (1) the color and transparency of the bait body and (2) the surface decoration upon the opposite side of the bait body. This comes about through the fact that light penetrates the bait body to the extent that is permitted by the surface decorations thereupon, and in so doing it shines through the surface finish with such brilliancy as is permitted by the opacity of the several markings thereon. Such a bait when lying between a fish and the sun will present a most attractive optical effect due to the fact that the light penetrates the bait body to enchance the potency of the surface decorations, and this is in sharp contrast to all other baits of opaque character the visibility of whose markings are'dependent upon light reflection rather than penetration.

A bait body of the kind under description may be produced economically by any one of several approved methods, casting in die moulds bein perhaps the best. The material used besi es being transparent or just translucent, and perhaps colored, is also impervious to water and so will withstand rough usage over a long period of service. In addition it is well adapted for the reception of such screw threaded devices as areapplied thereto for accessory purposes, and the threads formed therein Will maintain a connection with the screw threaded devices more secure and lasting than is possible to obtain with other materials now in use.

I claim: A

1. A fish bait having a'body of transparent material with surface decoration formed bling that of a simulated minnow, and surface part by the material decorations formed in of the body.

4. A fish side portions of the surface of which a deco- .rative finish is directly applied,

5. A fish bait havin a body of transparent material havia ecorative surface finish through which ody and decorative surface finish light may pass in varying de rees.

6. A fish bait consisting of a one piece ody having a surface decorative finish, the body and finish both being of such material that light proceeding toward one side of the bait may pass in part therethrough to illuminate the opposite side thereof in varying de rees.

7. A fish .bait having a transparent ody having a decorative surface finish interrupted at places to simulate scales, whereby the light visibility through such interrupted p aces is difl'erent than in the adjacent places to produce a heightened optical eifect.

bait consisting of a smooth fishlike body of transparent material to opposite 9. An artificial bait comprising a light penetrating body which simulates the size and shape of a live bait and having translucent ortions on opposite exterior surfaces of the ody interrupted at places to provide light transmitting spaces.

JACK T. WELCH.

,DlscLAlMER Re. 18,390. Welch, Jack T., San Diego, Calif. ARTIFICIAL MINNOWQ Patent dated March 22, 1932. Disclaimer filed December 4, 1939, by the assignee, James Heddons Sons.

Hereby enters this disclaimer as to matters which might otherwise be interpreted as being within the scope of the claims of said patent, to-wit: 1

Each of the claims of said patent is directed to a bait body of sufficiently transparent material to transmit light during daylight fishing conditions from beyond and through the body of the bait, and having on the exterior surface of the bed of the bait an interrupted pattern which is itself relatively opaque,,s0 that natural aylight will pass freely through only those portions of the body' which omit the surface pattern, the surface pattern affording interruptions to create a varied optical effect under natural illumination present only during daylight fishing conditions; and hereby expressly disclaims all night fishing baits which are illuminated from 6 interior and which do not conform to the requirements above enumerated. t Y

- [Oflicial Gazette December 26, 1.939.] r 4 

